


The Winds of Change:  A Splatoon Fanfic

by ShellyRuby, tcp3059



Category: Splatoon
Genre: F/M, Forgiveness, Hope, Major Character Injury, Psychological Trauma, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:40:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26837608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShellyRuby/pseuds/ShellyRuby, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tcp3059/pseuds/tcp3059
Summary: It's been three years since Agent 8 escaped from the Deepsea Metro, and she's been enjoying life in Inkopolis.  However, the threat of Octavio's forces still looms.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 5





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at a fanfiction, so be gentle. There may be some inconsistencies with the source material. I don't own any of the characters or the rights to Splatoon.

_It’s been three years since Agent 8 escaped the Deepsea Metro. In that time, she’d regained her memory, but decided to live a new life under the name Amanda. Since her escape, hundreds of Octarians have defected and moved to the surface. The Inklings, having learned of the Octarians' survival through Agent 8's battle against Commander Tartar, have welcomed them with open arms. However, Octavio’s forces remain at large, and the denizens of Inkopolis, Inkling and Octarian alike, find themselves facing the prospect of another Great War._

*******

Amanda sat at a picnic table across from Pearl and Marina, deciding whether or not to eat the second half of her sandwich. It was about noon in Inkopolis, and Crusty Sean’s food truck had been the perfect place for a meeting. Marina, tall, dark-skinned, and graceful as ever, sat deep in thought, mulling over Amanda's proposition. Meanwhile, Pearl was sitting back and basking in the sunlight, snoring quietly. A small rivulet of drool ran down the tiny rapper’s chin. Amanda watched as a mixed platoon of Inklings and Octarians marched by, heading to relieve the current guards at Inkopolis’ perimeter fence. Although tensions with the Octarian Empire had eased somewhat, there was no pretending that this was a time of peace. The pink-tentacled girl eyed what was left of her sandwich one more time, deciding to just wrap it up and take it with her. If Marina agreed to her idea, it might not be wise to eat too much.

“Alright,” Marina said, “I’m in. Pearl, did you have any interest in joining us?”

Pearl jerked awake and shook her head clear. “What?” she asked. Marina explained Amanda’s proposition briefly, and Pearl twisted her mouth slightly.

“I don’t know. That’s really not my kind of thing.”

“You can just come along and watch, if you want.”

“Who’s going to be there?”

“Me, Cuttlefish, and all of the Agents.”

“Alright. If Agent 4’s gonna be there, I’ll go just for the entertainment value.”

Marina laughed and rolled her eyes. Amanda took out her phone, sent a text to Cap’n Cuttlefish, and the trio got up and headed toward the training grounds.

********

Amanda, Pearl, and Marina walked through the doors of the newest building in the training grounds. Inside was a single well-lit room adorned with a large, thin mat. A semicircle of chairs ringed one side. A respawn pad sat in the corner. Cuttlefish and Marie sat in two of the chairs, Marie hugging a squirming object rather tightly. Amanda tilted her head in curiosity, and Marie shifted her arms to reveal a pink and black squid.

“Callie,” the pop idol explained. “She thinks this kind of stuff is boring. Keeps trying to super-jump away.”

“Ah,” Amanda replied, then looked at Cuttlefish. “Where is everyone else?”

“Agent Three is finishing up on the shooting range, and Agent Four is--”

“Right behind you,” a female voice said in Amanda’s ear. Amanda yelped and spun to face an impishly-grinning Inkling girl.

“Sorry,” Jessie Evans giggled apologetically. “I couldn’t help it!”

Amanda, recovering quickly, pointed dramatically at the yellow-tentacled girl.

“Thou fool!" she cried hammily. "Thou knave! Thou horrid wretch! For this I shall have my vengeance upon thee!” 

Jessie snorted and rolled her eyes in mock derision, taking a seat. As everyone sat and chatted, their phones all blared an emergency tone, indicating that one of Inkopolis’ deadly rainstorms was approaching. The city's sirens spun up to a steady, discordant tone. A few minutes later, a torrential downpour swept down the alleyway. Amanda heard a familiar noise from the corner of the room, and turned toward the respawner sitting there. Agent 3, Alex Thompson, exited it, looking irritated.

"Sixty feet!" he grumbled. "I was sixty feet from the damn door when the rain got me. These summer storms freaking suck."

He sat down, gathering green tentacles into his signature topknot. Cap’n Cuttlefish stood, walking to the center of the mat.

“Agents,” he said, “Time and time again, you have proven your skill in combat. However, a few months ago, Agent Eight raised some concerns. We Inklings generally learn our fighting skills from Turf War and our other tournaments. These contests are weapons-only, and leave out hand-to-hand combat. I have already spoken to the Mollusc Security Coalition, and they have begun to implement a basic hand-to-hand course for the bulk of the military. However, as Special Agents, you are far more likely to encounter enemies at close range than the typical soldier, and will need much more extensive training to deal with it. Amanda and Marina both served in the Octarian military, where the soldiers are trained extensively in hand-to-hand, close-quarters combat. They have agreed to teach us, and I expect all of you to take their lessons to heart. Ladies, would you mind giving us a demonstration?”

*******

Marina and Amanda sat on their knees, opposite each other on the mat. Each had their eyes closed in meditation, focusing on the fight ahead. Opening their eyes, they stood and bowed to Cuttlefish, and then to each other.

“Begin!” Cuttlefish shouted.

Amanda attacked first, closing the distance rapidly and throwing a series of open-and-closed-fisted strikes intermingled with the occasional kick. Marina blocked these with proficiency, and retaliated with punches and kicks of her own. The two exchanged blows for the better part of a minute, neither gaining the upper hand. That changed when Amanda mis-timed a punch toward Marina’s jaw, letting the strike hang for just a split second too long. Marina blocked it, wrapped her arm around Amanda’s, stepped in, and threw the younger girl over her hip. With the wind knocked of her, and her arm trapped in a joint lock, Amanda tapped on the mat with her free hand, signalling her surrender. Marina released her grip, allowing the downed Octoling to regain her breath.

“You’re quite a handful!” Marina said. 

“Thanks! It’s one of the few parts of training back home that I enjoyed,” Amanda beamed. She hopped back onto her feet and moved to face Marina again. “Ready for round two?”

“Whenever you are.”

The women took up position and began again. This time, Marina was the aggressor. She flew in with a back-fist followed by a punch to the stomach. Amanda blocked them and retreated. Marina’s height gave her a reach advantage; Amanda needed to get inside her guard. Marina threw a feinted snap kick toward the midsection, followed by a real roundhouse toward Amanda’s temple. Amanda barely caught the ruse, and blocked Marina’s leg a couple of inches from her head. She altered her grip on the limb, merged closer to Marina, and swept her other leg. Marina landed with a _thud_ , Amanda’s punch stopping just short of her throat. The Inklings present sat in astonishment. After a few seconds of silence, Jessie swore under her breath.

“You could say that again,” Alex muttered. He had lived through some harrowing encounters with the Octarian military, but had never gotten close enough to engage them hand-to-hand. _‘Considering what I just saw, that’s probably a good thing,’_ he thought.

The two Octolings stood and took a second to assess each other. Marina narrowed her eyes and stepped off the mat, walking to the bag she’d brought. She returned holding two long, plastic training knives. She slid one across the mat to Amanda, and the two took up fighting stances again. 

Three vicious rounds later, they stood panting and eyeing each other warily. Sweat dripped from their garments. From the sidelines, Marie let off a low whistle. Remembering that they had an audience, Marina and Amanda bowed to each other, then to Cuttlefish, and stepped off the mat. Marina sat back next to Pearl, who offered a fist-bump that she sheepishly returned. Callie morphed into her humanoid form, eager to begin. She’d completely forgotten her distaste for training.

“That was impressive, you two,” Cuttlefish said. “You’re both exceptional fighters. Whenever you’re ready, you may begin your instruction. Callie, I want you to team up with Alex, and Marie with Jessie.”

A chorus of complaints rose up from Callie and Jessie. Cuttlefish explained his reasoning.

“If _you two_ teamed up, nothing would get done!” This, too, was met with argument, but eventually the two protestors piped down. The Agents paired off and began their new training. 


	2. Trouble

Alex exited the recently-promoted Colonel Cuttlefish’s office, frowning in deep thought. He’d just received his latest briefing, and none of it was good news.

A few months after Jessie had re-captured Octavio, a divide had formed within the Octarian Empire. One faction remained loyal to the Octarian King and upheld his doctrine, while the other wished for freedom and had begun a small rebellion. Ever since, tensions had begun to rise within Octarian territory, and the occasional refugees that made it to Inkopolis carried whispered rumors of a brewing civil war. That prospect loomed over the heads of Inkopolis’ inhabitants for the last three years, and the entire city was on edge. The Octarians living there, as well as those in the nearby Octotown, were pressuring Inkling politicians to intervene on the rebels’ behalf. War, it seemed, was inevitable.

Alex was just informed that the tension had boiled over last night. A scout for the Mollusc Security Coalition had witnessed a squad of loyalists ambushing a group of rebels near the border. Around the same time, another group had infiltrated the prison Octavio was in and busted him out. The Octarian king was nowhere to be found. Alex, along with Jessie and Amanda, were under orders to find him. As Alex exited the building, his phone rang. He answered it, stopped for a second, and then sprinted down the street.

*******

Amanda barreled through the shattered remains of Marina’s front door, weapon drawn and ready. Amber eyes widened in horror. Marina’s house was trashed. Furniture was haphazardly strewn about, and several potted plants lay on the floor in shattered vases. The bedroom was in the worst condition. Marina’s sheets were torn, the comforter shredded. A tattered shoebox lay on the bed, and the closet doors were hanging off their hinges. Amanda turned and saw Pearl curled up in the corner. Pearl lifted her tear-stained eyes to meet Amanda’s.

“I came as soon as you called!” Amanda said. “What happened?”

"Marina’s missing! I came by to pick her up for work, but her door was already open and her house looked like this!”

Amanda sat and hugged the sobbing rapper tightly. Worry gnawed at her heart. _“She’s missing too? That’s not good,”_ she thought to herself.

Alex and Jessie stormed through the front door, weapons ready. Reaching the bedroom, they saw Amanda and Pearl in the corner. Alex asked what was going on. Amanda told them what had happened, and Jessie immediately flew to Pearl’s side, hugging her as well. Alex had a troubled look on his face, and motioned for Amanda to follow him outside. Rounding the corner and turning to face the Octoling, he said, “Clearly she’s been abducted like Callie was, and with our new intel on the Octarians, it’s fairly obvious who did it. I don’t think it was because they want her back, either. I know Octavio was pissed when she left, and I’ve never met someone who could hold a vendetta like he can. Who knows what the hell they’ll do to her?” 

“Nothing nice.” Amanda muttered, shaking her head. “We need to find her as soon as possible, before they seriously hurt her.”

“My thoughts exactly. Change of plans, then. Jessie and I will go investigate Octavio's forces, and I want you to see if you can find any trace of Marina. Don’t hesitate to call for backup if you need it.”

“Okay. Be safe out there, Alex. I have a feeling things could get nasty.” She turned and started for the door, but was stopped by Alex's hand on her shoulder.

“Likewise,” he said, "and good hunting."

Amanda looked over her shoulder and nodded, then re-entered Marina’s house to comfort Pearl. Alex couldn’t see the slight blush his gesture had left on her face.

*******

Alex and Jessie walked through the prison Octavio had been held in. The breakout had been fairly quiet, but there had still been a few casualties among the guards. Jessie shook her head as she walked by. 

“I don’t get it,” she said. “Why do they stay loyal to him?”

“That’s a good question,” Alex answered. “I’ve been putting some thought into it, though. There were about a thousand Octarians there when I fought Octavio, mostly in support roles. About halfway through, Callie and Marie blasted them with Calamari Inkantation and broke their conditioning. When the battle was over, Marina left, but the rest stayed behind out of fear, only coming up later. Then, two years later, Octavio breaks free and abducts Callie, brainwashing her into serving him. You go down and fight them in an arena. How many Octarians would you say were there?”

“I’m guessing around fifteen thousand.”

“Right. So, Marie knocks Callie’s hypnoshades off, they join forces, and again, they sing the Inkantation. Fifteen thousand more Octarians are freed from their conditioning. Where does that leave us?”

“With sixteen thousand-some-odd Octarians vying for freedom.”

“Yes. Over the years, about a thousand Octarians make it to this side of the fence. That means there are fifteen thousand or so who stay. They flee from Octavio, but can’t make it here. They set up a hidden camp and begin a passive rebellion.”

“Where is this going?” Jessie asked.

“Marina said that when she left, there were about a hundred thousand troops in the Octarian Military. If only sixteen thousand of them heard the Inkantation…” Alex trailed off.

“Then the other eighty-four thousand are still under Octavio’s control!” Jessie finished, nodding. “They’re not loyal by choice!”

“Exactly.”

Jessie stopped to think for a second.

“Wait. What if an Octarian is freed, but decided they still like Octavio’s regime?” she asked.

“That could explain why his forces were still so cohesive after he went to prison. A lot of Octarians are peaceful, but I’m willing to bet that a handful of them are as evil as their old boss. Who would be better to keep the rest in line? Active enforcement is way more effective than indoctrinated obedience.”

“Good point.”

“That still leaves one question, though,” Alex said. “Why did they abduct Marina? I mean, Octavio’s got a grudge against her for starting this whole exodus, but why not just assassinate her?”

“Because,” Jessie said, an expression of understanding dawning on her face, “they probably don’t _want_ her dead. Marina’s a genius. She’s one of the most capable combat engineers in history. I couldn’t think of a better resource for them. Not to mention how cruel it would be to force her back, which is right up Octavio’s alley. I’m guessing they’ll try to brainwash her into service, like they did with Callie.”

Alex’s mind was flooded with images of Marina strapped to a chair and being tortured into compliance. He shook his head clear.

“We need to find where they took Octavio. Wherever he is, Marina’s going to be nearby. Let’s see if we can track them.”

*******

After three days of asking around, Amanda had concluded that Marina was nowhere in Inkopolis. She hadn’t expected it to be that easy, but figured it was best to cover her bases. She had even ventured down a bit into the Deepsea Metro, mentally suppressing some of the more unpleasant experiences she had been through there. C.Q. Cumber hadn’t seen Marina pass through, nor had any other of the Metro’s denizens. She was starting to get the feeling that the answer lay a bit closer to home.

A short monorail ride later, Amanda arrived at the still-new Octotown. Octo Valley had changed significantly from what she remembered. Clean, well-built homes were a far cry from the dingy and crowded underground domes she had grown up in. After her encounter with Commander Tartar and the destruction of the NILS statue, the long-rumored survival of the Octarian species was officially revealed to Inkling society. She could still remember the day her species once again stepped into the light.

Octolings had been slowly trickling into Inkopolis for a couple of years before Amanda’s battle. It hadn’t been too difficult for them to blend in; Octolings were similar enough to pass off the subtle differences as personal affectations. Inklings, it seemed, were not the most attentive of people during times of peace. The regular Octarians, however, would never have made it in. Instead, the Octolings had, in secret, constructed a small underground base for them to reside in until the time was right.

Amanda’s fight against Tartar had thrown a wrench into all of that. The news coverage had been massive, the pressure from reporters nearly unbearable. Amanda couldn’t answer for herself; she hadn’t known Inklish well enough to stand her ground. Eventually, Marina was forced to step in.

“Listen,” she’d said to the cameras, “I’d been hoping to put this off a little longer, but it’s time for the truth. The rumors that have been floating around the last two years are true. I am an Octoling, as is Agent 8 here. We’re not alone, either. Those strange “Inklings” with the unusual hair you’ve been seeing? All Octolings. The Octarian race is not extinct, as you were told. Our survival was covered up after the Great Turf War, as part of an agreement between your government and the few dignitaries we had left. Since that cat’s out of the bag now, I’ll be as straightforward with you as I can. We Octarians came here to escape our leader’s tyranny, and to try and live peacefully. I swear to you, on my life, that none of us who live among you mean this city nor its inhabitants any harm. Today’s events may seem to contradict that, so let me explain. The destruction you saw this morning was the result of a centuries-old conspiracy from a third party bent on the complete obliteration of life on this planet. Because of Agent 8 here, the one one responsible for this conspiracy and his means of completing it have been destroyed. Thank her; you owe her and Pearl your lives.

“I want to stress again that we do not mean you any harm,” she continued. “I will now address my people directly in our mother tongue, so they will all understand.” She then spoke in Octari. “I am asking that all Octarians residing within and underneath Inkopolis gather in Inkopolis Square and officially surrender to the Inklings as a sign of goodwill.” She switched back to Inklish. “Inkopolis, do with us as you will; exile us, kill us, or welcome us in. Anything would be better than the life we left. Our fate is in your hands.”

That speech had sent shockwaves through the city. As Octarians of all kinds gathered, unarmed, in Inkopolis square, earnest discussions of what to do with them ran through Inkopolis’ leadership. Finally, as the sun set that day, the leading council of the city approached Marina, who sat at the front of the group. 

“We’ve discussed much about this,” one of the older ones said, “And we have some questions for you. First, who is this leader your people have been fleeing?”

“DJ Octavio. He’s more or less our king. He is the one that started the Great Turf War, and is responsible for both abductions of the Great Zapfish. He resents you for his defeat, and wants nothing less than to burn Inkopolis to the ground. He was, if I’m not mistaken, captured by a young Inkling during a black-ops mission a few weeks ago.”

The Inkling elder looked surprised. “I see. Next question. Why did you leave him?”

Marina’s face darkened somewhat. “He keeps us under control through a combination of hypnotizing goggles and his music. We were freed from that during the first battle over the Great Zapfish, about two years ago. As Octavio fought a young Inkling called Agent 3, we were exposed to the Squid Sisters’ Calamari Inkantation. It broke the chains on our hearts and showed us there was a different path. Some of us escaped quietly, others had to fight for their lives to get here.”

The elder nodded and motioned for the council to withdraw a bit. They talked for several minutes, then held a quick, quiet vote. They returned to Marina, and the elder spoke again.

“The council believes your statement of meaning us no harm. However, this Octavio seems to be a different story. He may have been captured, but those forces still loyal to him remain at large, and most likely will attempt to rescue him. We cannot leave ourselves vulnerable to an attack. You have lived among us for two years now, and in that time you have not once demonstrated any ill will toward us. That speaks of your commitment to peace. In light of that, we have a deal for you. If you will help us fortify this city against a possible invasion of those still loyal to Octavio, and are willing to defend it with your lives alongside us, then you will be granted full citizenship along with all the rights and liberties it entails. You may live your lives as you see fit, as long as you uphold your end of the bargain and agree to abide by the laws of this land. Do you accept these terms?”  
  


Marina stood slowly and turned to the gathered Octarians, translating what had been said. The group started whispering among themselves, then nodded toward Marina.

“We accept your terms with gratitude,” she said.

Octavio was brought to trial before a mixed jury of Inklings and Octarians. He was convicted of several crimes regarding the Zapfish heists and his intent to destroy the Inklings, and was sentenced to life in a maximum security prison. Soon after, Inkopolis began preparing for invasion. The once-chaotic and fun-for-all Turf War matches turned into deadly serious tactical training. Barricades were constructed, trenches dug, and their ink-based weapons were quickly replaced with what Marina had called "firearms". Marina had designed them, of course. She had said they were based off of some human weapons she’d dug up once. The recoil took some getting used to, but the weapons' effectiveness more than made up for the inconvenience. Amanda looked at the pistol on her hip and sighed. Metal projectiles, it turned out, were far more lethal than blobs of ink. They would have provided an incredible advantage in the coming war.

Three months of training, fortifying, and vigilance left Inkopolis ready for a full-on invasion. Lookouts were posted on nearly every corner, and snipers haunted the roofs like phantoms. However, the incursion everyone had been expecting never happened. Instead, one day about four months after Octavio’s capture, a large gathering of Octarians slowly appeared at the edge of Inkopolis’ defensive trenches. They were battered and torn, and looked as though the hounds of death itself were nipping their heels. Although armed, they quickly dropped their weapons and surrendered. Their leaders told a similar story to Marina’s; that during Octavio’s battle against Agent 4, they’d heard the Calamari Inkantation. They had banded together and escaped from Octavio’s forces. They wished to live on the surface; to choose their own paths, and to live in peace instead of suffering under Octavio’s thumb. The Inklings turned to the Octarians among their ranks, asking if the new group could be trusted. Before they could answer, a second group of Octarians arrived and took aim at the refugees. A single sniper shot, taken by Marie from a distant rooftop, dropped the attacking commander instantly, and the defending force opened fire over the refugees’ heads.

Taken by surprise and clearly outgunned, the group of belligerent Octarians had quickly retreated, leaving the refugees behind. Marina and Pearl were the first ones to cross the battlefield and begin tending to the bedraggled Octos, with Cuttlefish, the Squid Sisters, and the other Agents following suit. Soon, the entire city was out and helping them. A collective feeling of relief came up from the Inkling side. They’d grown fond of the Octarians living with them, and they hadn't wanted this fight. In their eyes, the Great Turf War was water under the bridge. They happily embraced their lost brethren. However, the growing number of refugees needed somewhere to stay.

Octavio’s first capture had left Octo Valley more or less abandoned, with the exception of a few groups of Octolings. The refugees had been quick to reclaim it and begin building a new town. Many of the Octarians had accepted the Inklings’ invitation to live in Inkopolis, but others had expressed a desire to have their own space, more suited to their own needs. Thus, Octotown had been born, and the domes underneath the valley had been converted to hydroponic farms and workplaces. There was even a new Turf War arena built near the edge of town. As Amanda strode down the main street, she saw several of her old friends from the military sitting in a park. A small statue depicting an Octoling girl hugging an Inkling boy stood in the park’s center, commemorating the newfound peace. She waved to her friends and set her course for town hall.

She entered the building and walked to the front desk. A Twintacle Octarian looked up from his computer and greeted her.

“Hi there. How can I help you?”

“Hi! I was wondering if I could review the town’s security footage. I’m looking for somebody that may have come through recently.”

“I’ll need some identification first, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“No problem”

Amanda fished out a card that identified her as an Agent of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, now formally recognized as a Special Ops unit in the new Mollusc Security Coalition. The Twintacle looked at the card and handed it back, standing and heading toward the back of the building. “Right this way!” he said.

Amanda followed him to a room full of monitors. She sat down at the desk and rewound the footage to three nights prior.

*******

After hours of watching security footage, Amanda was struggling to keep her eyes open. One could only stare at the same thing for so long without starting to get bored. She was just about to doze off when some movement on a screen caught her eye. She rewound the footage a bit and gasped. Printing off a screenshot, she returned to the front desk, thanked the Twintacle, and rushed out the door, barely holding back tears. She just barely made it around the corner and into an alley before she sank against a wall.

“No!” she whispered, still fighting the tears. “No, no, NO! Marina!” She slammed her fist against the concrete. She couldn’t hold it back anymore, and began to cry from rage and grief.

Marina had come through here, alright. She hadn’t been drugged and abducted, nor had she been taken by force. She had gone on her own volition, and was heading for the border wall at Octo Canyon. That wasn’t the worst part, though. Amanda thought she had recognized the shoebox on Marina’s bed, and now she knew exactly what it had contained.

Marina had been wearing her old armor, including the goggles and kelp headdress reserved for the Octarian Elite.


	3. Discovery

Two small forms eased through the underbrush of a small desert, sixty miles inland from Inkopolis. A massive, black-sided mountain stretched up from the sun-blasted landscape. A huge steel door, weathered by time, covered the entrance to a stronghold built within the peak. It was clear that their quarry lay within; patrols of Octolings regularly exited a sally port a stone's throw from the main door. The Agents had crossed the Octarian border stealthily and followed the clues here.

“Wow,” Jessie drawled sarcastically, adopting a blue-eyed, vapid expression. “When did they have time to build _this_ place? It must've taken at _least_ a week!”

“Funny,” Alex remarked dryly. “Sarcasm aside, I wonder when they found it,”

“I’m thinking it was a while ago,” Jessie said, dropping the act. “They seem familiar with it. If I had to guess, I’d say it was probably fairly soon after I fought Octavio; with no leader, they'd need somewhere to fall back to in case Octo Canyon was compromised."

“Fair enough.” Alex thought for a second. “The place looks ancient. You think it’s from the humans?”

“That’s my guess.”

The small radio scanner they had brought keyed up, and a quick string of the Octarian language issued from it.

“My Octari is a little rusty,” Jessie admitted. “What was that?”

“There’s a convoy coming in.” 

A large cloud of dust appeared on the horizon and quickly cleared to reveal several vehicles in a line. They resembled the military vehicles Marina had designed for the Coalition, but seemed to be much older. As they approached the fortress, the gigantic main door began to open. The convoy entered, and as the last vehicle made it inside, the door closed again. 

“Is it just me, or did those vehicles look like older versions of ours?” Jessie asked.

“Call me crazy,” Alex said, “but I think those are actually _human_ rigs. Remember, Marina had based all of our military tech off of archaeological findings. If the base in that mountain is actually from the humans, I bet that the Octos found them inside.”

“Makes sense. I wonder what they were hauling in.”

“Beats the heck out of me.”

Jessie’s headset rang, and she answered. 

“Agent 4, here. Hey, Amanda, how’s-- wait, are you crying? What’s wrong?!” There was a short pause. “Oh no." Another pause. “No, we haven’t seen any trace of her. I think we need to regroup and discuss this with Colonel Cuttlefish. Yeah, see you then. Bye.”

Alex looked at her and tilted his head inquisitively. 

“She saw some security footage of Marina in Octotown,” Jessie explained. “Apparently, she was by herself and headed toward Octo Canyon." She paused and looked him in the eye. "She was wearing her old armor and goggles, Alex.”

Alex’s eyes widened. 

“You mean that she wasn’t kidnapped? That she left willingly?!”

“Looks like it.”

A range of emotions crossed Alex’s face. 

“Alright,” he sighed. “We know where Octavio's troops are now, and it doesn’t look like they’re going anywhere for a while. Let’s get out of here and talk with Cuttlefish.”

They morphed into their squid forms and headed off toward the tunnel.

*******

Alex and Jessie arrived at Cuttlefish’s office and headed inside. Amanda was already there, looking at a map with the Colonel, Callie, and Marie. Alex noticed how perturbed the Octoling seemed and stood next to her, touching her elbow lightly.

“Are you alright?” he asked gingerly.

“Yeah, it’s just hard to process. I don’t understand why she’d re-join the force she’d fought so hard to leave.” 

“I’m confused too. We’ll figure it out, though” he consoled her. He turned to the map. “Alright. Here’s what we know so far. Octavio’s forces have more or less abandoned Octo Canyon, and have moved to a fortress in the desert. Only a few hundred Octarians remain guarding the border. It looks like this fortress is their new base of operations, although we’ve seen at least one convoy entering it, so there may be other locations. Given the surveillance footage Amanda found, it is likely that Marina Ida has joined forces with them, and is also within this compound. As for what it is they’re planning, we have no idea. Thoughts, Colonel?”

“I may have a lead there,” Cuttlefish said. “I got some new intel saying that the rebels are on the move. More and more of them are gathering near the border at Octo Canyon. We need to figure out what they’re up to. I want you to contact them. They’re sure to have information that we don’t. One of them is bound to know the way into that base.”

“Yes sir.”

“Once you get inside, figure out what Octavio’s up to. I want to be prepared for whatever he’s come up with. Also, do your best to find Marina. I want her alive if possible, but don’t allow her to compromise the rest of your mission. I’d like to hear her side of the story, but if she jeopardizes you, you’re authorized to use lethal force.”

He paused and thought for a second.

“I need to talk to the Council. We’re in a bad situation here. The rebels in Octo Canyon are surrounded by enemy forces, and the Octarians living here want us to help them. I’m inclined to agree with them, but if we engage, we can’t afford to go at it half-heartedly. Octavio’s forces are too strong for that. Callie and Marie, I want you to begin preparing our troops and defenses. I hate that it’s come to this, but we don’t have much of a choice. I think it might be time for a declaration of war.”

  
  


*******

The Agents slid down a rope dangling underneath a stealth helicopter. They’d flown over the border without incident. Intel showed that a large base camp of rebel Octarians lay about a mile from their position. As Amanda reached the ground, she flipped down a pair of night vision goggles and stared into the pitch-black of the night. She motioned for the other two to complete their descent. They joined her on the ground and headed off into the dark. 

The rebel camp had been very well hidden. It took the Agents nearly an hour to find the small path that led to it. They approached the perimeter of the camp.

“Stop right there,” said a hidden, female voice. “Drop your weapons.”

The trio disarmed themselves and held up their hands. The patch of vines that lay next to the pathway stirred and raised, revealing itself to be a well-camouflaged Octoling woman armed with a worn Octoshot. She whistled sharply, and a pair of Octotroopers appeared, picking up the dropped weapons. The Octoling motioned for the trio to follow her, and she entered the encampment. As the Agents walked through the camp, they saw hundreds of grim-faced Octarians inspecting weapons, tending to wounds, and eyeing the newcomers suspiciously. Amanda noticed that Alex seemed more on-edge than usual. They reached a large tent in the middle of the camp, and were ushered inside. 

In the center of the tent was a small desk with a map on it. A middle-aged Octoling male sat behind the desk, staring at the map with a care-worn expression. He had forsaken his goggles and kelp headdress, but a single star adorned his lapels. The female guard snapped to attention and saluted him. 

“General, sir, we’ve got visitors,” she said in Octari. “By the looks of it, they’re from Inkopolis.”

“Thank you, Corporal. At ease.” The general looked at the agents, still in their tactical gear. He switched to Inklish. “I was hoping they’d send someone. What brings you here?”

Before Alex or Jessie could answer, Amanda drew in a sharp breath. 

“General Tana? Is that you?” she asked.

The general looked at her sharply. She removed her helmet, and his eyes widened in recognition. 

“Sergeant? You’re _alive?_ ”

The other two Agents looked at Amanda, surprised.

“Yes, sir,” she said. “I made it to Inkopolis. The rest of my team didn’t, though.”

“I see,” the general said. He turned to the Inklings. “She was one of my best soldiers before Octavio had her transferred to his personal detail.”

Amanda smiled. 

“This is Alex and Jessie,” she said. “We’re all members of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, Inkopolis’ Special Ops team.”

“I’ve heard of the Squidbeaks,” Tana mused. “You’re the ones who keep taking that bastard Octavio down. You must be Agents 3 and 4, I presume?” 

The Inklings nodded. 

“Wait a minute, does that mean… _you’re_ Agent 8?!” he asked Amanda, incredulously.

“Yes sir. Also, if you don’t mind, I go by Amanda now.”

“Amanda? Alright, I’ll remember that.” He looked at the Inklings again. “When she was under my command, she was Sergeant Gwen Richter. Any friend of hers is a friend of mine. How can I help you?”

“Good to meet you, General,” Alex said, still looking uncomfortable. “We’ve been assigned to contact the rebels here. My commander is currently speaking with leadership in Inkopolis to try and get you the support you need. What are your plans for now?”

“We’re in a bit of a holding pattern,” Tana replied. “We were going to try and make a dash for the border, but then most of Octavio’s forces disappeared into that mountain. It would almost be too easy to get across now, with so few guards left. We suspect there’s a trap being set up, so we’re not going to make our move until we can figure out what it is.”

“That’s reasonable,” Alex said. “We have another goal as well. Are you familiar with Marina Ida?”

“Yes. She’s kind of infamous among the Octarian military, being the first to leave and all. Why?”

“We believe that she’s rejoined Octavio.” 

“What?!” the general exclaimed. 

“That’s what all the evidence points to. We know it wasn’t her that broke him out, but she was last seen heading toward Octo Canyon in full regalia. The next part of our mission is infiltrating Octavio’s new base. We need to figure out what he’s up to, and how Marina is involved.”

“Alright. We’ve got some recent defectors here that know the way in. That said, you’d be better off to wait until morning. I’ll have a tent prepared for you.”

“Much appreciated, General.”

*******

Amanda couldn’t sleep. A storm had rolled in, and a shrieking, wind-driven rain pounded the tent. Massive peals of thunder shook the very earth beneath her cot. As she lay awake, she heard whimpers coming from one of the other cots in the shelter. Eventually, she sat up, looking for the source of the noise. 

It was Alex. He was tossing back and forth, sweating, eyes and jaw clenched shut. As the loudest thunderclap yet roared through the camp, he bolted upright and shouted incomprehensibly, eyes confused and wild. As he came to his senses, he turned and put his feet on the floor, burying his face in his hands. After a few minutes, Amanda got up and cautiously approached Alex’s cot. She sat down next to him, offering silent company. She could hear him sobbing quietly.

Eventually, Alex spoke up.

“I’m sorry. I’m-- I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“I never really got to sleep,” Amanda said gently. “This storm isn’t exactly quiet.”

As if to prove her point, another incredibly close clap of thunder blasted their ears, causing them both to flinch. 

“It’s this c-camp,” Alex said. “Being here, s-seeing the way they’re living, the way they _look_ at me. It’s s-so much like what I saw the first time I entered Octo Valley. The Octarians were so d-desperate, so in need of a power source, and I killed so _many_ of them, Amanda. I understand why Cuttlefish had to recruit me, but I was _just a kid!_ I thought I was going on this h-huge adventure, and I was so excited to be doing something w-worthwhile! But the mission kept going on, and I started to realize just w-what was at stake, and it scared me. I’d never been more afraid in my life. But I had to keep going. And so I went, a-and I killed and killed and killed. A-And it wasn’t like in Turf War, where you know you’re coming back. The respawners only had so much power left. It was for real this time, and I saw the fear in their eyes when I killed them. And then, I faced Octavio, and I killed even more. Octarians who had no choice but to be there, who had no free will of their own. And I killed them. And if you’d been there… If you’d been there, I would have killed y-y-you t-too.” He began to cry again.

“Alex,” Amanda said sadly, “I _was_ there.”

Alex looked at her in horror. Amanda nodded and continued.

“I was in that dome, five years ago. I was part of the next attack group, so you never saw me, but I was there. When you stopped Octavio, and when I heard the Inkantation, I realized just how pointless the fight was, so I retreated with the rest of my team. And I stayed in Octo Valley, because I had nowhere else to go. I didn’t have a purpose. So my team and I wandered around aimlessly until one day, I saw you and Cuttlefish again. I’ll admit, I hated you for what you’d done, not realizing that you were as desperate and scared as we were. I was so angry, and so lost, I snapped.” Her voice became tinged with regret. “That still haunts me to this day. I ordered my team to attack you, knowing full well what you were capable of, and I got them all killed. That blood is on my hands, not yours. Then, we were both ambushed, and I woke up in the Metro with no memory. Then, I had to fight for my life against controlled versions of _my own people_ to get to the surface, only to be nearly destroyed _again_. I still get uncomfortable thinking about it. I guess what I'm saying is, I understand what you're feeling, and I'm here for you.” 

Jessie got up and sat on Alex’s other side.

“I’ve done some terrible things too, Alex. All three of us have been through hell. More than anyone else, we understand how you feel. It took me a long time to forgive myself for everything I did. If you don’t start doing the same, it’ll eat you alive. Please, Alex. Once this is over, find the help you need. We’re here for you.” With that, she stood up, placed her hand on his shoulder for a moment, and went back to bed.

Amanda sat beside him for a few minutes longer before she stood up.

"You’re my friend, Alex. Always remember that."

With that, she returned to her cot and closed her eyes. The storm died out and the three slept, together but alone, hearts heavy from the grief of the past and the uncertainty of the future.

  
  


*******

After two weeks of talking to various rebels, the Agents found a way into the fortress. Jessie demonstrated the benefits of a misspent youth as she picked the lock of a hidden door to the stronghold, and the trio quickly slipped inside. A dingy, poorly-lit hallway stretched in either direction. It was clear that some attempt had been made to clean up the clutter, but bits of refuse still littered the corners of the hall. Amanda sighed.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked.

"It just reminds me of how things used to be; the crowded living spaces, the failing power grid. Growing up under Octavio was… rough. I spent my time either training to fight or scrounging for rations and supplies. Every day was a constant worry of 'will we find enough food for today?' and 'is there anything useful in this storage site?'. I never questioned it; I just figured that's the way life was. Octavio's brainwashing didn't help. It wasn't mind control per se, but it was enough to drown out any thoughts of dissent we had. It wasn't until I escaped and moved to Inkopolis that I realized just how bad things were."

Alex's face fell. "Amanda, I'm… sorry you had to go through that, that Octarians as a whole had to go through it. It's our fault. We were the ones that--"

"No. Stop that," Amanda said sharply, eyes suddenly flinty. Her gaze softened a bit and she shook her head. "This isn’t the Inklings’ fault. There's no denying that you won the war, but don't forget that it was the _Octarians_ that started it. When the seas started rising again, Octavio saw the writing on the wall and made a preemptive strike. My ancestors slaughtered thousands of yours before they even knew what hit them. Your people were only acting in self-defense. There were a lot of lies and propaganda that emerged from the war. We didn't 'attack before the Inklings could get out of bed'; that was a twist on the phrase 'we caught you sleeping'. The 'careless pulling of a plug' that shut down our war machines? That was a stealth mission by the original Squidbeak Splatoon to sabotage our offense. The whole thing was pointless; millions dead on both sides because Octavio was paranoid about you. He attacked out of fear and anger instead of reaching for a diplomatic solution. He led us down this path, and we were the ones who allowed him to do so. Did the Inklings go overboard in retaliation? Maybe, maybe not. It doesn’t matter. In the end, we made a choice, and we paid a heavy price for it."

She walked up and hugged Alex tightly. "Please, Alex, stop carrying around guilt for all of this," she whispered in his ear. "What’s done is done. We should learn from the past, but it needs to stay _in the past_ . In the Metro, when Cuttlefish and I were about to be killed, you risked your life to save ours. When the Octarians' survival was revealed to the public, and a group of my people came seeking sanctuary, you and your kind dropped everything to help. You even defended us when our _own people_ tried to kill us. In my mind, that counts for a hell of a lot more than what caused the situation in the first place. It’s like Jessie said. All of this guilt is eating you up. You have to let it go. You are worthy of forgiveness, Alex. I know that because _I_ forgive you. Now it's time you learned how to forgive yourself."

Alex was speechless. Amanda held him at arm’s length, gave him a small smile, and moved toward the nearest corner in the hallway, taking point. Alex followed, with Jessie taking up the rear, and the trio began clearing hallways and rooms.

It became immediately clear that the base was massive and took up a good portion of the mountain’s volume. Standing in what was probably the sixtieth room they’d investigated, Alex was starting to feel as though something was off.

“Where are the guards?” he asked. “Octavio’s got more than eighty thousand troops under his command. We should have run into someone by now.”

“I was just wondering the same thing,” Jessie muttered. 

Alex’s words turned out to be prophetic. As they exited the room and rounded a corner, they heard a small gasp from behind them. All three turned, weapons ready, to face an Octoling male not much younger than them. Staring down the barrels of two assault rifles and Jessie’s shotgun, he dropped his blaster and held his hands up. 

“Wait! Don’t shoot!” he pleaded in Octari. 

Alex looked to the other two, who nodded, and eased his finger off the trigger. 

“Wait a second,” the Octoling said. “Two Inklings and an Octoling? You’re Agents 3, 4, and 8, aren’t you?”

Alex looked thoroughly confused. “How does everyone seem to know about us?” he asked, also adopting the Octarian tongue.

“Rumor gets around. I’ve heard a lot about you, and I’m a huge fan.”

Alex blinked in surprise.

“Wait, _what_?”

“Yeah. I really admire what you’ve done for the Octarians in Octotown. Both it and Inkopolis seem like great places to live. Honestly, I hate it around here. I was there when Octavio went down the second time, and hearing the Squid Sisters sing that song… well, nothing’s been the same since. I’ve been looking for a way to escape these guys for ages, but they make it… difficult. I’ve watched others try, but only a few actually make it to the rebels. The rest… well, you know how ruthless we Octarians can be. The results aren’t pretty.”

“No, I bet not,” Alex said, recalling some of his own close encounters with the Octarians. “Why don’t we make a deal? We need information. If you tell us what we want to know, we’ll help you get out of here.”

The Octoling thought for a moment.

“I’ll take that offer. I’m a fairly low ranking soldier, though, so they only tell me so much. I’ll give you what information I can.”

“Alright. What’s going on here? What is Octavio planning?”

“An invasion, and soon. You have no idea just how badly he wants to get his old territory back, let alone get revenge for the Great War. He was waiting for the rebels to rush the border so he could justify his attack, but they never took the bait. He’s run out of patience, so he’s gearing up as we speak.”

“Any idea when?”

“We’re supposed to move out within the next day or two. I was trying to escape and warn Inkopolis when I ran into you guys.”

Amanda and Alex looked to each other, faces pale. Alex turned back to the Octoling.

“Where is Marina Ida, and what is she doing?”

The Octoling’s face hardened.

“She’s here, working with _him_ ," he muttered darkly.

“Octavio?”

“No, someone else. I don’t know who he is; nobody but the Elites do. All I know is that he’s being kept deep inside the mountain and that he’s working on some new superweapon with Marina. She showed up out of the blue right after we moved out here, saying that she’s ‘sick and tired of things in Inkopolis’ and misses the military. Whatever it is that they’re working on, Octavio’s very excited about it. That’s all I know, though.”

“How do we get there?” Amanda asked.

“Follow this hallway to the end, take a left, and then go about three quarters of a mile to the end of that hallway. There will be a regular door on the right hand side, and a giant steel one at the end. They’ll be through one of those.”

Amanda thanked him, and the three retreated a few yards. Jessie had understood some of the conversation, but needed a translation for the rest. After hearing what was said, her eyes narrowed.

“How can we trust what he says?” she asked. “He could be setting us up, for all we know.”

“It’s possible, but I don’t think that’s the case,” Amanda said. “When the Inkantation affects one of us, there’s a complete change in demeanor. He’s definitely heard it. I think he’s telling the truth.”

“Okay, but what are we going to do with him? We can’t just leave him; I don’t care how trustworthy he seems, we’d be stupid just to let him go. There’s just too much of a chance that he might go tell his superiors.”

“I’m not just going to kill him, if that’s what you’re suggesting,” Alex said. 

“What? No, not at all,” Jessie quickly backpedaled. “I’m just saying we have to do _something_.”

“Here’s a solution,” Amanda said. “Alex, do you remember our second fight just outside the Deepsea Metro? When Commander Tartar had tried to sanitize you?”

“I don’t _remember_ it at _all_ ,” he said, rubbing a small, green scar left from the incident, “but go ahead.”

“After that, I started carrying a sedative just in case I had to subdue someone I didn’t want to hurt. It would put him down for a couple of hours, at least.”

“It’s certainly nicer than hogtying him like I was going to suggest.”

“Ooh, kinky!” Jessie snickered. Alex shot her a look, but the corners of his mouth were twitching upward. Amanda ignored them and walked up to the Octoling slowly, holding a short needle.

“I’m going to sedate you,” she said. “We don’t know if we can trust you yet, but if what you’re saying is true, we'll uphold our end of the bargain and get you out of here.”

The Octoling looked as though he was going to protest, but stopped short and shrugged in resignation. She injected him, and his eyes rolled back as he fell limp. The Agents gently lifted him and placed him in one of the rooms they’d already cleared, marking the door to avoid confusion later. 

Following his directions, they wound up at the end of an incredibly long hallway, with a giant, circular steel door in front of them and a wooden one to the right. The wooden door was slightly ajar, so they slowly crept up to it. Sure enough, there stood the tall, elegant form of Marina. She was conversing with someone they couldn’t see. The Agents heard footsteps. The figure strode into view as he headed for Marina’s workbench, and he stood a full two inches taller than the five-foot-ten Octoling. His head was covered; not with the tentacles of Inklings or Octolings, but with short, dark hair. His ears and eyes were small, and there were no facial markings to be found. The Agents' jaws all dropped. The three had, of course, all seen pictures and carvings of his kind, but had never met one in person. How could they have? They were supposed to be extinct.

The other figure was a human.


	4. Urgency

The Agents stood frozen in shock. Twelve thousand years after they had supposedly gone extinct, a human was standing there, conversing with Marina through what looked like some sort of translator device on his neck. Alex slowly closed the door and looked to the other two Agents. "The  _ hell? _ " he mouthed silently.

Amanda and Jessie both shrugged, at a loss for words. They heard Marina's voice approaching so they quickly dove into a nearby supply closet. Peeking through the door, Alex watched Marina exit the side room and approach the giant steel door, punching in a code on the adjacent keypad. The human joined her, holding a grapefruit-sized sphere. The door opened surprisingly quickly, and they stepped inside, with the door sealing shut behind them.

"Well, what now?" Amanda asked. 

"It's probably best that we try to send a report to Cuttlefish," Alex said. "We've been out of radio contact for nearly two hours; he's bound to be worried."

The others nodded, and they began easing back to the door they'd entered from. Along the way, they stopped to pick up the still-sleeping Octoling male. Jessie slung him over her shoulder, and they continued on their journey. They had just reached the door when an intercom system crackled to life. A horribly familiar voice filled the air.

"Attention, my loyal soldiers," DJ Octavio growled. His voice dripped with hatred and an edge of insanity. "Our time has come! For a century, we have toiled in the mud while those miserable reprobates laze around in their precious city. No more! We will have our revenge! Our new superweapon will eradicate the Inkling race forever! I will lead us to war, and we will burn Inkopolis to the ground. We will claim their land for our own! As for that abomination called Octotown, and the rebels who threaten our very way of life, those traitors will be the first to die! Then, the Octarian Empire will rise to its full glory, and our reign will be eternal! Now, move out!"

The intercom faded into a deafening silence. The Agents all looked to each other and quickly exited the fortress.

*******

Colonel Cuttlefish's radio squelched up. He walked over to it as Alex's voice came through.

"Break, Break! This is Agent 3! Do you read me? Over!"

"This is Cuttlefish. I hear you loud and clear. Over."

"Octavio's gone insane! He's moving to attack Octotown and Inkopolis. He's got a massive assault force, troop transports, tanks, and--" A massive roar interrupted Alex. "--and  _ apparently _ , air support! That was an attack helicopter. He's also got a new superweapon. We aren't sure what it is, but we're going to find out if we can stop it. Also, send word to the rebels hiding in Octo Canyon. If they don’t get across the border now, they’re screwed! If you don't hear from us in two hours, assume we've failed and wipe this place off the map! Over!"

"Understood, and good luck. Over and out."

Cuttlefish rushed out of his office, grabbing his phone and dialing for Marie. She picked up quickly.

"Marie!" Cuttlefish said. "Octavio has started his invasion. Are our defenses ready?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good. Contact Octotown and tell them what's happening. If they can't hold there, then they need to fall back and reposition here."

"Will do."

He ended the call and exited the building, heading for the edge of Inkopolis' outer defenses.

*******

The Agents entered the fortress again, leaving the unconscious Octoling male just inside the door. A few minutes later, they were standing in front of the giant steel door. Alex had remembered the code Marina used, and punched it into the keypad. The door opened, and they crept inside. After walking through a short, narrow hallway, they entered a large cylindrical chamber. 

On the floor in front of them stood a missile of some kind, though it was far larger than the ink-based ones they were used to. The missile's tip, about sixty feet up, lay unbolted from its body on a catwalk that surrounded the chamber. A pair of Octarians were loading cone-shaped objects into it. As they placed the last one, Marina appeared on the catwalk and nestled the small sphere from earlier between them. The Octarians used a crane to re-install the missile's tip, and bolted it back down. As the Octos exited the chamber from a door near the catwalk, the Agents moved in to inspect the missile.

"I'm not sure how this thing works, but we need to disable it, fast!" Alex said quietly.

The Agents heard three pops, and felt sharp pains in their necks. Turning around, they saw the silhouette of an Octoling holding what appeared to be a dart gun. They collapsed as the world faded to blackness.

*******

Amanda slowly came to, and realized she was tied to a chair. She looked around to see the other Agents similarly bonded. They were inside a control room looking into the missile silo.

The other Agents began stirring and slowly waking up. Jessie opened her eyes first. 

"Un-freaking-believable," she groaned. "How did they get the drop on us like that?"

"A better question would be how they knew we were there," Alex muttered. 

"I can answer that one," a female voice, speaking near-perfect Inklish, said from behind them. A black-tentacled Octoling wearing the Elites' kelp headdress strode up and leaned against the control panel in front of them, taking off her goggles. "When you opened that secret door, you tripped a silent alarm. I've basically been watching you on camera since you broke in."

"So much for stealth," Amanda grumbled.

"Indeed. I appreciate you not killing that other Octoling earlier. I'm sure he will too, once he wakes up. That's quite a powerful sedative you gave him."

"Sorry, it's what I had."

“It is what it is,” she shrugged. “Now, I have some questions for you. First, why are you here?”

Alex spoke up.

“We had intel that the Octarian military had ambushed some rebels. A civil war within the Octarian Empire was sure to spill over into our side of the fence, so we needed to try and prevent it. Soon after that, Octavio escaped prison and Marina disappeared.” His face twisted bitterly. “We thought you had abducted her, but that clearly wasn’t the case. We followed the clues and tracks you left behind when you abandoned Octo Canyon, and here we are.”

“Fair enough. Alright, next question. How did you manage to--” She was interrupted by her headset sounding off. She grabbed and donned it, and dashed out the door. Soon, an alarm started buzzing throughout the fortress, and a red strobe light flashed in the control room. Jessie began squirming, trying to loosen her bonds. The other two followed suit. A few minutes later, the door opened again, and Marina entered in a rush, face hidden by her goggles. The human followed right on her heels.

“If we want this thing to go off when he begins his attack, we need to launch soon,” the human said. 

Marina nodded.

“If I’m calculating this correctly, then it needs to be in about four minutes.” They each took a key off of their persons and inserted them into the control panel. After a countdown from three, they turned the keys simultaneously. A countdown began, and they stepped back from the panel. While they were distracted, the Agents all changed forms and slipped out of the ropes on their chairs. They didn’t have their weapons, so they slowly crept up to Marina and the human, intent on subduing them before deactivating the countdown. Amanda had almost reached the human when the Elite yanked the door open.

“Marina! There’s an--” she paused as she saw the Agents, frozen, crouching just behind Marina and the human. Jessie acted first. She leapt toward the Elite and knocked the blaster out of her hand, then started throwing punches and kicks. Alex rushed Marina, who hopped backward and promptly planted her foot in his stomach. He collapsed in a ball as Amanda advanced on the human, who slowly backed up toward the control panel. 

“We’re going to stop you,” she said. “I don’t know what that purple psychopath wants you to do, but we’re going to stop it.”

Marina turned to face her.

“No, you won’t! There is too much at stake here, and I won't let you interfere!” She charged at Amanda and tackled her to the floor. Jessie and the Elite were still exchanging blows while Alex struggled to regain his breath. The human shirked away from the fighting. Alex slowly got to his feet and started toward the man. 

“Launch early if you have to!” Marina yelled. “Don’t let him hit the abort button!”

The man nodded, and he turned to the panel. Alex leapt toward, hand stretched for the red button while the human went for a green one. They were a hair’s breadth from their goals when a massive explosion rocked the entire mountain. Everyone in the room was thrown to the ground, and the steel girders that supported the roof cracked and buckled. The human was the first to recover, and pressed the green button. The hatch of the missile silo opened, and the rocket launched with astonishing speed. 

Alex could only watch as the smoke cleared out from the silo. Slowly, he dragged himself to the control panel as the human stumbled away and sat in a corner. He hauled himself upward and searched for the abort button. Finding it, he pressed it, but to no avail.

“It’s too late,” the human coughed. “The missile’s halfway to orbit by now, and I disabled the kill code.”

Marina picked herself off the floor and looked over to the Elite.

“What just happened?” she asked. 

“An airstrike from Inkopolis. They sent in a bomber to try and damage our launch system.”

“Then we’re lucky this mountain was large enough to shield us.”

Amanda sat up and turned to Marina, tears in her eyes.

“Why are you doing this, Marina? Why are you helping that  _ monster _ ?!”

Marina tore off her goggles and looked at her, exasperated.

  
“Damn it all, Amanda, I'm not  _ helping  _ him! I'm undercover, trying to  _ sabota _ \--” It was Marina’s turn to be interrupted, this time by a blinding light shining through the silo’s open hatch. A huge surge of energy shot through the room and washed over their bodies. Amanda felt as though her entire being was on fire, and for the third time that day, she felt herself losing consciousness. The last thing she saw was the roof support breaking off and falling toward her.


	5. Understanding

Marie lay on a roof near the inland edge of Inkopolis, peering through the scope of a heavy-caliber sniper rifle. From her position, she could clearly see Inkopolis’ defensive lines, as well as the large dust cloud that signified the incoming assault force. Octotown was in flames, and the last of the Octarians stationed there had just made it into Inkopolis’ defensive lines. The rebels from Octo Canyon were just ahead of Octavio’s forces, hanging out of vehicle windows and firing backwards at the attackers. Inkopolis’ sirens, usually reserved for the ever-deadly rainstorms, began to wail.

Racking her rifle’s charging handle, Marie pointed her scope at the windshield of the nearest enemy vehicle. Only a mile to go before they were in range. A pair of Inkling-piloted fighter jets made regular strafing runs on the attackers, and others had already engaged Octavio's fleet of helicopters. Suddenly, a new pillar of fire and smoke rose up from behind the advancing column of Octarians, and it quickly accelerated up into the sky. Callie came up over comms.

“What in the hell was that?!” she asked frantically.

“I’m not sure, but I think that was the superweapon!” Marie responded.

“I don’t like the looks of that,” Cuttlefish said from the front lines. “We need to get our fighters out of the sky _now._ ”

The pilots needed no telling. They had seen the missile too, and had grounded their aircraft immediately. A few seconds of silence ensued, and Marie looked back to the army of Octarians. Suddenly, a flash of light and blistering heat lit up the sky, and she looked up to see an expanding ball of multicolored energy. The wave of energy passed over her, and a searing pain racked her body. As she was losing consciousness, she saw the approaching vehicles swerving and skidding to a halt. 

*******

Alex woke up to the smell of smoke. Looking around, he saw small fires dancing across the control panel. His immediate concern, though, was the sight of the human with his hand at Amanda’s throat. An ink-splattered steel beam, jagged and broken, lay beside her. He mustered all of his strength to get up and try to knock the human off of her, but something caught his hand. He looked down with fire in his eyes at Marina, who was holding him back. Her own eyes pleaded with him to stop, and he couldn’t muster enough strength to break her grip. He turned back to Amanda, watching on in despair. 

Amanda slowly regained consciousness and felt a pair of fingers on the side of her neck, checking for a pulse. A sharp, throbbing pain in her left arm paired with an odd pinching sensation grabbed her attention. She tried to look down, but the human grabbed her chin and forced her to look him in the eye. He shook his head in warning. Realizing who was holding her, she tried to back away, but the pain in her arm tripled. Hissing in agony, she stopped and looked back into the man’s face. His brows knitted together with worry, and she saw not malice in his eyes, but compassion. An understanding passed between them, and she nodded slowly.

“Look at me,” he said, as he grabbed a wad of gauze and a compression bandage from the trauma kit he’d found. He gently grabbed her arm, and the pain seared again. Amanda gritted her teeth as he started wrapping it tightly. When he finished, he injected her shoulder with a painkiller. Amanda couldn’t stand the curiosity anymore, and looked at her arm.

It was missing from the elbow down.

She gasped and stared at it for a second, before looking around and locating the missing limb on the other side of the beam. It had reverted from a humanoid hand into a tentacle upon being severed. She stood up slowly and walked over to it. Using her good arm, she picked it up and cradled it, before asking for another piece of gauze. Puzzled at her request and her quick recovery, he handed her a roll, and then went to work putting out the fires. She wrapped the end of the tentacle with the bandage and walked over with it to a stunned Alex. She sat down next to him. Since he had stopped trying to pull away from her, Marina had let go of his arm. He turned to her, speaking in a serious, but weary tone.

“Marina. What. The hell. Is going on here?”

She coughed and said “I'll explain everything in a second, but I need to try something first.” She turned to the human. “Do you have any…?”

He nodded and tossed her a bottle of water along with a small cloth. She doused the cloth and, to Alex and Amanda’s horror, gingerly placed it against her arm. She didn’t didn't show any pain, though, and she began wiping all of the dust off of her arm. She looked to the human with a gleam in her eye and began laughing. He started to chuckle as well.

“It worked!” he said. “IT WORKED!!!!!”

Jessie was stirring, still tangled up with the Elite Octoling. The Inkling shook her head and sat up, scooting backward to lean against the door jamb. The Elite, laying on her back, took off her goggles and blinked repeatedly, groaning. 

“Dammit, girl,” she said to Jessie. “You’re a _hell_ of a fighter.”

“Thanks,” Jessie replied, “you too.”

Alex looked between the laughing scientists, the punch-drunk fighters, and the somewhat-dazed Amanda, confused by everyone’s change in demeanor. He spread his hands apart, still waiting for an explanation.

“Alright, alright!” Marina placated, still struggling to contain herself, “Explanation time. But first, introductions. This is Jason. He’s a human scientist who was cryogenically frozen twelve thousand years ago. When I heard the Inkantation, a few members of my unit heard it too. I left for the surface, but they elected to stay, in order to try and topple Octavio’s rule from the inside. They always kept in contact with me, though. When Octavio was captured by Jessie, my friends took up archaeology as a cover, while still keeping an eye on his loyalists. They were the ones that found Jason’s cryotube, hidden in a newly discovered dome under Octo Canyon. It was right about then that the loyalists decided to break Octavio out and move to this place. My friends contacted me and told me what was happening, and I knew that I had to act quickly before any of the loyalists got their hands on him. And so, I left. It broke my heart, walking away from my life and friends in Inkopolis with no explanation like that, but I didn’t have time. I took my old gear with me because I had most of my old files stored in the goggles, and I also needed to look the part. 

"I met up with my old team, and we discussed what was happening. They told me that Octavio had basically gone insane in prison and was looking for another war. They also told me that the new base had a nuclear missile silo. Octavio's original plan had been just to nuke Inkopolis. I couldn't let that happen, so I had them sneak me in here. I figured out how the cryotube worked and deactivated it, waking Jason up. I made him a translator, and then explained our history and current situation to him."

Jason nodded in agreement.

"I was one of the few scientists left alive when the seas came in." he said. "I was part of a group dedicated to preserving our knowledge and history, so that if any species were to gain sapience after we were gone, they might learn from our mistakes. One of my colleagues happened to be the scientist who created Commander Tartar." 

Amanda shuddered at that. Jason continued.

"Given how _that_ turned out, it's a good thing we had contingency plans. I helped design a device that could alter the genetic sequence of any living being on Earth, and give them human traits. Given that the seas were rising, we figured it would be best to calibrate it to affect sea life. We wanted to send a light out into the future, and maybe jumpstart the process of a new sapient species emerging; one that could learn from our mistakes and hopefully not repeat them. The thing required a lot of energy to activate, though. In fact, the only source of energy concentrated enough to do so was the heat and pressure of a nuclear explosion. So we loaded it into a nuclear missile that was set to launch fifty years after we were gone. We understood that an A.I. like the phone's might have an issue, though, and so it was decided that a handful of us would have to be frozen. That way, we could be woken up and present if anything went wrong. I wanted to stay with my colleagues, but I drew the short straw and went under. Out of everyone that joined me, I was the only one whose cryotube didn't malfunction. Eventually, the end of humanity came, and the missile did its work. Sea life began changing, and lo and behold, you guys showed up." 

"When he told me that," Marina said, "I started thinking. Octavio was hell-bent on using that missile. As he was surrounded by loyalists, there was no way we were going to stop him by force, so Jason and I came up with a plan. I would go to Octavio, pretending that I was spying on the Inklings the whole time I was in Inkopolis. I told him that I hated it there, and that a nuclear strike was too good for you. I told him that I could turn you all into Octolings with Jason’s help. 'Why kill your enemies when you could enslave them?' I asked him. I told him that the device would knock you all out, and he could put hypnoshades on you while you were morphing. It's a good thing he's gone so crazy; I don't think he would have bought it otherwise."

Alex thought for a second.

"Okay, so far that makes sense. Now obviously, Jessie and I aren't turning into Octolings, so what did the thing actually do?"

Marina smiled slyly.

"I always thought it was ridiculous that we were descended from marine life, and yet water was like acid to us. On a planet that's covered in so much of it, that seems like a bit of a hazard. So when Jason and I built the device, we set it to make Inklings and Octarians waterproof. I had already experimented on one of my arms, so I was almost certain it would work. Turns out, I was right. Now, the one downside to all of this is that, because the changes affect the outer layers of our skin, it makes morphing between our forms a little more difficult, but it should be a pretty quick adjustment. Also, we’ll be harder to splat."

"So why all the hurry to launch?" Jessie asked. 

"Well, again, I had told Octavio that the device knocking you all out would give him a window to put the hypnoshades on. Really, it's to give me a window to deactivate the ones his forces are wearing. I’m going to broadcast a kill code once I get in range. I also wanted to keep them from attacking the city. I made sure the device would go off directly above Inkopolis in order to knock everyone out for as long as possible. In fact, they're all going to be out for a couple more hours at least. We were further from the blast, and shielded by all of the rock above us, so we were only out for a minute or two."

The Elite spoke up.

"Should I go get a helicopter fired up?" she asked Marina.

"In a minute. We've still a while before they start waking up. In the meantime, I want to introduce you to the New Squidbeak Splatoon. Agents, I’d like you to meet an old friend of mine; a former member of my unit and one of my contacts in Octavio's forces. Officially, her name is Major OT-352-994, but she prefers to go by Kayla." 

"Why the number?" Jessie asked.

"Because I'm a clone," Kayla said casually.

"A _what_?!"

"Yeah. Why do you think so many of the Octoling soldiers and Elites look alike? After the War, there were only a few hundred Octarians left. Those that remained were forced to make… sacrifices." She rubbed her wrist, which was encircled by a white scar. "When Octavio retreated, all that remained of his original guard was a single Octoling woman. All of the other Octolings were civilians. Octavio made a pact with her; that if she would sacrifice her limbs to start rebuilding the military, he would do the same. And so, they started cloning themselves in order to rebuild their numbers. For whatever reason, only the soldier was able to produce Octolings, while all of Octavio's limbs remained Octarians. 

"When the original female passed away, it became tradition for each Octoling soldier to sacrifice either an arm or a leg on her eighteenth birthday. After that, it was usually just a head tentacle every year or so. The severed part starts to grow into a new Octoling or Octarian, and now you’ve got a new recruit. Our limbs heal and regrow over the course of about a month, so there's no permanent damage, but the whole process is a way to demonstrate our commitment and willingness to sacrifice anything for our people. We became a clone army. When we reached a certain rank, we would change the color of our tentacles and begin wearing kelp leaves. That way, we could differentiate between the younger and older clones. It wasn't until about twenty years ago that our civilian population was large enough for Octavio to feel comfortable with them joining the military. Even then, they were kept as a reserve. We clones still make up the vast majority of his forces. It was harsh, and maybe even a bit cruel, but it was necessary."

Amanda nodded and spoke.

"I'm one of the natural-born Octolings," she said, "and so is Marina. We both left in our early teens. Otherwise, we would have scars very similar to that."

"Welcome to the club, Amanda," Kayla said, indicating the severed arm. Amanda raised an eyebrow at her, and she turned away, muttering a sheepish "Sorry". 

Alex stood and thought for a second. 

“Hold on a second, Marina,” he said. “If you weren’t abducted, then what on earth happened to your house? It looked like somebody went through there with a war axe.”

Marina cleared her throat uncomfortably. 

“I had some of my old squad members do that. I was trying to keep you guys off my trail, and I thought you’d be too busy investigating a kidnapping to suspect that I’d just left.”

“Fair enough,” Alex shrugged. After a second, his eyes widened. “Wait, what about that Octoling we left near the exit? We need to find him!”

Slowly, they gathered themselves up and limped down the hallway, heading for the exit where they'd left the male. Kayla peeled off as they neared their destination, searching for a helicopter to fly. They rounded the final corner and saw the male there, still out cold. 

"What did you _give_ this poor guy?" Jason asked. Amanda rolled her eyes. Jessie slung the Octoling over her shoulder again, and they headed outside and into the blazing heat of the desert. Looking up, Alex could still see the remnants of the device's explosion; a large, multicolored cloud of ionized particles hanging out in low Earth orbit. He heard a familiar roar, and looked over to see a helicopter coming around the mountain. It landed in front of them, and they pulled themselves aboard. Kayla took off and set course for Inkopolis.

*******

Marie woke to the sound of a helicopter landing near the front line of defenses. She couldn't tell how long she'd been out, but the sunburned state of her arms told her it had been quite a while. She picked her rifle back up and peered through the scope at the helicopter. She tensed in anger. Marina had just crawled out of the chopper.

"This is what you get, traitor," she snarled, clicking the safety off of her rifle. She paused, however, when Alex jumped down next to her, appearing to be chatting amicably with the Octoling. Amanda and Jessie were the next to appear, along with a pair of Octolings and a cloaked figure she couldn't identify. She took her finger off the trigger and opened up her comms. 

"Alex, is that you I'm seeing down there?"

She watched his head jerk up through the scope.

"Yeah, it's me," his voice came over the radio.

"You've got five seconds to explain why Marina's here before I blow her head off."

"Whoa, whoa, hold your fire. It'll take longer to explain than that, but she's on our side. Has been the whole time."

Marie sighed and clicked the safety back on. She was relieved; she had always really liked Marina, and her anger had stemmed from how badly the Octoling’s apparent betrayal had hurt.

"Get down here," Jessie chimed in. "We've got some work to do."


	6. Sorrow

“I’m sorry for all of this,” Marina said remorsefully to the gathered Squidbeak Splatoon. She looked to the ground, cradling her arms. “I wanted to tell you what was going on, but I was being watched like a hawk. I may have managed to fool Octavio, but his inner circle wasn’t so certain. I had to keep focused so I wouldn’t tip them off.”

Colonel Cuttlefish nodded and looked out over the battlefield. They hypnoshades had been deactivated, and nearly all of them had been removed from the attacking force. There were crashed vehicles everywhere, although the Octarians and Octolings inside them had fared pretty well. For the most part, there were only scrapes and bruises on them, thanks to the newly thickened skins they had developed during the blast. 

Marie looked Marina up and down, then extended her hand. 

“Sorry about threatening to kill you earlier,” she said. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Marina replied, shaking Marie’s hand. “I’d have been angry too.”

Callie stood thinking, chin in hand. 

“You know,” she mused, “there’s something that’s been bugging me. Where the heck is Octavio in all of this? He didn’t stay at the mountain, did he?”

“No,” Kayla said, eyes widening. “He led the attack in a helicopter!”

Immediately, they all turned toward the wreckage of the nearest chopper, which had been downed by a Coalition fighter. It lay a half mile away in the middle of the battlefield, so they commandeered a pair of transports and drove to the site. Alex and Jessie hopped out, weapons ready, and advanced on the wreckage as the others followed. The pilots had barely survived the crash, and as the Agents opened the chopper’s door, they saw that the Octarian King hadn’t fared much better.

The Agents had never seen Octavio in his humanoid form. He sat, as a very aged Octoling, in one of the helicopter’s rear seats. A foot-long, jagged piece of rotor had slipped past his ballistic vest and pierced his side, and he was clearly in a lot of pain. He turned to look at the group, and they saw defeat and rage in his eyes, still coupled with that hint of madness. 

“And so the Inklings have won again,” he spat. “I should have known. There’s always something that gets in my way. Well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead, finish the job! I've already got one foot in the grave! Kill me, you cowar--”

“Augustus!” Cuttlefish snapped irritably. “Enough of this! Let. It. Go.”

The Agents all stood in shock; they didn’t even know Octavio _had_ a first name. The Octarian King himself hadn’t heard it in decades. 

“Don’t you _dare_ lecture me, Craig!” he snarled. “I don’t have to listen to some slimy, backstabbing hypocrite like you! You were my best friend, but you and your people betrayed me! I saw your invasion fleet!”

He was interrupted by a cane cracking against the side of his head. He reeled back in his seat and blinked several times, as though he were seeing clearly for the first time in ages. Cuttlefish grabbed him by the shoulder of his vest and pinned him against the seat.

“ _Damn_ it, Augustus!” Cuttlefish yelled. “That wasn’t an invasion fleet! Do you think we _wanted_ the Great War? Do you think we _wanted_ to fight you?! No! The Inklings and the Octarians were great allies, and I _was_ your best friend! But then, you became king, and you _changed,_ Augustus. You became so vindictive, so _paranoid_ , that I could hardly stand to be around you! In spite of that, I tried to maintain our friendship. Then, the seas started rising, and we knew that your lands would be the first to suffer. So, we loaded up our naval vessels with food and supplies, with every intent to sail over and _help you!_ But, out of nowhere, you attacked us. No warning, no mercy. You killed thousands of my people before they could even cry out for help. We recalled our fleet and prepared for the worst. Who knows how long you would have rampaged? I knew I had to stop you, so I took a strike team to shut down your machines. Of the eighteen men and women I led, only myself and three others returned. Four survivors, Augustus! Out of _nineteen!_ And _then_ , you started a land war that lasted for another _three damned years_ and left millions dead, on both sides. I knew I was the only one that could possibly reason with you, and so I launched an assault on Arowana Castle. I fought my way into your throne room, trying my damndest to spare as many Octo lives as I could. I knelt at your throne, _begging_ you to stop all of this, but you wouldn’t listen. You challenged me, your _best friend_ , to a duel!

“I fought as hard as I could; not just for my people, but for both of ours, _hoping_ I could make you listen. It became apparent pretty damn quick that you wouldn’t back down, though, and so I did what I had to. I went for the kill, even though it broke my heart. Somehow, I missed and only blasted you out of a window. You disappeared into the night, with the rest of the Octarians in tow. The only diplomat you had left begged our government for mercy on your behalf. We agreed that you would be declared dead, hoping to spare what few Octarians remained from being executed.

“The war was over, and we rejoiced for the peace, but it was _so_ bittersweet, Augustus. As a society, we thought that the Octarian race was extinct, and by _our_ hands. A people we had grown up with, and had loved like brothers, gone forever. We as a species may be a bunch of airheads, and there’s no doubt we held a grudge for what you did, but deep down we’ve been grieving you ever since. I knew the truth, though, and for a century, I watched over your old lands, hoping, _praying_ , that one day you’d come back into the light. Then, you tried to sabotage us by stealing the Zapfish, and I knew you were coming for revenge. So I sent Alex to stop you, in hopes that you would back down. Even after he captured you, you never quit. You never let go of the anger, the hatred, and the fear that have haunted you all this time. You escaped again, Marie sent another Agent to stop you, and you _still_ refused to change. I knew it was time to end this, and so after Amanda and I escaped from the Metro, I brought you in and put you in prison. I felt like I didn’t have any choice, and I’ve regretted it ever since. Now, here we are, and for the last time, I’m asking you to give this grudge up and move on. I never wanted this, Augustus. I only ever wanted peace, and to be your friend.”

The old men stared at each other. There seemed to be an immense battle going on in Octavio’s mind. Suddenly, something in his demeanor changed. Tears welled up in the old man’s eyes, and he began to weep. Cuttlefish hobbled over and sat on the seat next to him. Octavio shook his head in sorrow.

“You’re right, Craig,” Octavio sobbed. “You’re right. When my mother died and I became King, I let it go to my head. I was so angry over her death, and so afraid of what the future held, and so caught up in my new duties, I became somebody… evil. And then, the seas started rising, and I thought the Inklings were going to wipe us out without a second thought, and I panicked. I ordered a preemptive strike, hoping to seize control of your nation before that could happen. My hands are stained with the blood of millions, and that will never go away. Everything that’s happened is my fault, and I wish I could take it all back.”

He turned to regard Marina.

“It may not mean much, but thank you for stopping me. What you did was brave, and I salute you for it. We need Octarians like you to guide the new generation and ensure they don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.” He then looked to Amanda. “As for you, I believe you go by Amanda now?”

She nodded.

“I thought I recognized you. You were one of my reserve troops five years ago, weren’t you? I heard about the Deepsea Metro, and what you faced there. You showed incredible courage through all of that, and I cannot express how proud I am of you. You aren't the same frightened girl from all those years ago. You’ve become an amazing warrior, equal to any of my Elite guard.”

He nodded toward her missing forearm.

“I’m sorry to see how badly my stupidity wound up costing you. Do you intend to raise the severed limb as one of your own?”

“Yes,” Amanda said.

“Then I’m sure she will be just as incredible as her mother.”

He leaned back in his seat and grimaced.

“Please, just leave me,” he said. “Save my people. I’ve done too much harm to be of any use to them.”

“I don’t think so,” Cuttlefish replied. “We’re getting you out of here and to a medic.”

Marina and Callie moved to Octavio’s side, each gently grabbing an arm and throwing it over their shoulders. Being careful not to jostle the large piece of metal sticking from his side, they slowly lifted him from the seat and exited the helicopter. Alex ran off a distance and waved down a combat medic. The medic jogged over to the group and paused to assess the situation, then knelt down and began working on Octavio. He stabilized the piece of rotor with bandages to prevent it from moving and causing further damage, all while quietly muttering about the dangers of helicopters manned by idiots.

The medic stood and spoke to the group.

“Okay, his wound is stabilized for now, and I don’t think the rotor hit anything vital, but we need to get him to a hospital as soon as possible. The blast knocked out our respawners, and there's only so much I can do here. Get him in that transport over there and get him out of here.”

Callie and Marina picked up the stretcher and moved toward the transport. As they neared it, a group of Octolings and Octarians moved out from behind a damaged troop transport. They cautiously approached the Agents, and the sound of several safeties clicking off rang out.

“Stop!” Octavio cried weakly in Octari. “Stand down. It’s over. Please, take off your goggles and listen to me. I was wrong; there is no reason to fight the Inklings over something that happened a century ago. It’s time we forgive the past and rebuild our friendship with them.”

The Octos all removed their various shades and goggles, looking confused. An Octoling male approached the stretcher. His discarded goggles sported kelp leaves; he was one of the few males that had reached Elite status.

“Is it true?” he asked in Octari, grasping the King’s hand. “Are you giving up?”

“Yes. I’m calling for a truce.”

“Interesting. Who would have thought…” he started before trailing off.

“Thought what?” Octavio asked.

“That you were such a coward!” the Octoling snarled. Before anyone could react, he drew a combat knife and plunged it into Octavio’s chest.


	7. Hope

Jostled by the force of the knife’s impact, Callie lost her grip on the stretcher, dropping Octavio to the ground. The Octoling grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back. As the other Agents brought up their weapons, he hid behind her and held his knife to her neck. 

"Stay back, or she dies!" he said. 

"What the hell are you doing?!" Marina cried in Octari. "Let her go!"

"No! I will not allow the Octarian Empire to crumble like this! These slimy, treacherous squids have gone unpunished for too long, and destroying them will be our first step to restoring the Empire's glory!"

"Didn't you hear Octavio?" Marina shouted. "The war is over! Inklings and Octarians have been living on the surface in peace for three years now!”

The Elite male glared at her silently.

“Please,” she continued, “just listen to me. I was a fanatic too. I soaked up every bit of anti-Inkling propaganda I heard and took it to heart. But then, five years ago, I met one, and he was nothing like the “monsters” I had been taught to hate. When Alex took on Octavio, and the Squid Sisters blasted the area with their song, all of that washed away. Being up here, there’s a freedom that is impossible to--”

“Oh, don’t get me started with that _song,_ ” he said. “I was there too, you know. I heard the Inkantation. It woke me up from Octavio’s brainwashing, and it showed me just how weak and lost the old man was. We couldn’t ask for a more inept leader. But, he still had all of the power, so I bided my time and followed his commands. That time has passed. The Octarian Empire will rise once more, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let any of you stop me!”

He backed toward the group of Octarians. Several of them picked up their weapons and aimed them at the Squidbeak Splatoon, while others stood aside, looking confused and nervous. Callie struggled against him, but his grip was too strong. As he was nearing the group, another Octoling male wearing Octarian goggles stepped forward and raised his weapon. 

A single shot rang out.

The Elite male stiffened for a moment, then collapsed, releasing Callie in the process. The surrounding Octarians slowly turned toward the shooter, stunned. He took off his goggles. It was the male that the Agents had rescued from the mountain fortress. He had somehow snuck off and infiltrated the group without anyone else noticing. 

“Please, hear me,” he said to his comrades. “My name is Michael. I was once part of Octavio’s forces too, but I’ve learned that there’s a better life out there. I’m telling you now, this _has_ to stop. Another war will not solve our problems. We need to stand up and fix them ourselves instead of blaming someone else for them. Please, just lay down your weapons and let’s talk. The Inklings have demonstrated time and time again that they don’t want this fight. If you corner them and force them into it, they’ll destroy you. I don’t want that to happen. Just surrender. Please.”

The gathered Octarians slowly dropped their weapons and raised their hands. A group of Coalition soldiers arrived and escorted them away from the scene. Callie picked herself off the ground and rejoined the other Agents, rubbing her shoulder. They stood gathered around the stretcher, heads low. The fall had jammed the piece of helicopter rotor further into Octavio’s body, and it had obviously damaged something vital. He was still alive, but it was clear he was fading fast.

He turned to look at Callie.

“Callie, I… I wanted to apologize for abducting and brainwashing you all those years ago. I--”

“I forgive you,” she said. “We may have had our issues, but I understand the position you were in back then. It’s all right.”

“Thank you. I know you don’t owe me anything, but could I make one final request of you?”

“Ummm… sure. What is it?”

“I know I’ve ridiculed the Calamari Inkantation more than once, but I would like to hear it one last time, now that I can listen without anger in my heart. I’d also like for you to play it for my people someday, so that they could also feel it stir within their souls.”

“Of course,” Callie said, smiling sadly. “Marie?”

The Squid Sisters grasped hands and began to softly sing the Calamari Inkantation. After a couple of bars, Marina began to harmonize with them. Octavio leaned his head back and closed his eyes, mouthing the lyrics all the while. Colonel Cuttlefish clasped the Octarian King’s forearm, and slowly felt the limb go limp. As the song neared its end, a fourth voice quietly joined the singing, unnoticed by everyone else. When the song concluded, DJ Augustus Octavio, King of the Octarians, died peacefully. He had a slight smile on his face.

Alex turned to see a short, helmeted figure in combat fatigues standing a few yards away. The newcomer slowly walked toward the group and stood beside Marina. Marina looked up from Octavio’s body and stared at the figure, seemingly confused. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she gasped a single name under her breath.

“Pearl…”

Pearl removed her helmet, still looking at Octavio. Her face was unreadable, as though she was holding back immense, conflicting emotions. Marina fell to her knees, and she began to cry.

“Pearl, I’m so sorry. More than you know, I’m sorry for leaving. I-” She paused as the rapper turned to her. Pearl dropped to her knees as well.

“Don’t you ever. Leave like that. Again!” she said, punctuating each sentence with a soft punch to Marina’s arm. She then tackled the Octoling in a massive hug.

Cuttlefish watched them and smiled weakly, then turned toward the body of his former comrade. He shook his head in sorrow and sighed.

“I wish it hadn’t been this way, old friend,” he said. 

Marie placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, and with the rest of the Agents, they grabbed Octavio’s stretcher and began walking toward the transport.

*******

DJ Octavio’s funeral, held a week later, was massive but simplistic. The Octarians he’d led into battle had all been purged of their brainwashing. Though a handful of the higher-ranking Octarians had resisted, some even violently, the vast majority of his forces had been receptive to the prospect of peace. They, along with the residents of Inkopolis, both Inkling and Octarian alike, had attended the service. Colonel Cuttlefish had delivered a stirring eulogy, giving tribute to the man Octavio had been before the War, as well as describing his eventual change of heart and expression of remorse.

Afterwards, a massive party was held in Inkopolis. Inklings and Octarians alike danced in the streets, celebrating their reunification. Having been repressed for so long, the Octarians were somewhat reserved at first, but quickly caught on and joined in the revelry. The Squid Sisters and Off the Hook performed live in Inkopolis Plaza. Amanda and Jessie stood near the back of the crowd, watching their friends on the stage. Alex had gone off to find some food. Jessie turned to the Octoling.

. 

“You seem a little down,” she said. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Alex,” Amanda replied

“What about him?” Jessie asked, tilting her head.

“Well… I…uh… kind of…like him. Romantically. Have for a while.”

Jessie grinned.

“Well duh! You say that like it isn’t obvious!”

“Wait, you could tell?!” Amanda said, dismayed.

“Amanda, your face turns beet-red every time you even look at him.”

Amanda hung her head.

“Well, so much for him not noticing. I want to tell him, but I’m scared he won’t feel the same way. I don’t want to ruin our friendship if he doesn’t”

“You’ll never know if you don’t try, and holding it all inside will only eat you up. Take a chance. I promise you, he’s mature enough not to let something like that hurt your friendship.”

“Oh… Alright, then. I’ll tell him. I just… if he doesn’t feel the same way, I hope he’ll still accept me as his friend.”

“That won't be an issue,” came Alex’s voice from behind them. Both women jumped and turned; they hadn’t heard his approach.

“Sorry?” Jessie asked.

“I would absolutely still accept you as a friend, but... well, honestly, Amanda, I’m in love with you.”

“Oh. You heard all of that?” Amanda said, embarrassed. The meaning of Alex’s words hadn’t registered yet. 

“I did,” he said, setting down the bags of food in his hands. “Truth is, I’ve had feelings for you for a long time. Really, ever since we escaped the Metro. But I was wrestling with so much guilt over everything I’d done, and everything was so hectic afterward, I couldn’t bring myself to say it. I told myself that if things ever settled down, I’d tell you, but the time was never right. I should never have waited. Our lives are too dangerous for that. During this last mission, seeing you get hurt like that-” he shuddered “I thought I’d lost you, and it was the scariest moment of my life. I knew it was time to tell you how I felt, but you kind of beat me to it. You’re amazing, Amanda. You’re caring, smart, tough, and you’re an incredible warrior. You’re my best friend, but I want to be more than that, if you’ll have me.” 

Amanda stood, shocked. She didn’t know how to respond. Jessie nudged her with her elbow. Jolted back into reality by the gesture, she looked at Alex and walked up to him. She reached out and gently cupped the side of his face with her remaining hand. Green eyes gazed into amber ones, and the whole world faded. Slowly, carefully, Amanda pulled his head toward hers, and their lips met. Off to the side, Jessie smirked in satisfaction and disappeared into the crowd. She’d accomplished her mission, and it was time to go hunt down a certain Octoling male.  
  


*******

The next day, Marina made a public announcement of what her device had done. Immediately, Inklings and Octarians flocked to the beaches to see for themselves. As they tested their new waterproofing, Alex and Amanda stood on the beach. Amanda cradled her severed tentacle in her good arm. It was already starting to develop the beginnings of arms and legs, as well as eyes. The limb would eventually develop into a full Octoling. 

“What do you think you’ll name her?” Alex asked.

“I’m not sure yet. Something meaningful, though.”

Alex nodded and scanned the horizon, smiling to himself as he watched Jessie dragging Michael toward the ocean. Marina, Pearl, and Kayla were standing in the water near Jason. The human was demonstrating how to swim as a humanoid, as it was much different from swimming in ink as a cephalopod. Alex wrapped his arm around Amanda’s waist.

“I love you, you know,” he said, still staring off in the distance. “I know it seems a little early to say that, but I do.”

Amanda shook her head slightly, smiling.

“I love you too.” she replied. She sighed in satisfaction. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted to say that?” 

“I can’t be sure, but I think I’ve got a pretty good-” he looked at her sideways “- _inkling._ ” 

“Nooooo!” Amanda groaned. “That was awful!”

Then, her expression turned mischievous.

“You know,” she said, “you really _octo_ keep your day job. All this _squidding_ around is never gonna turn into a comedy career.”

Alex snorted and began to laugh. Together, they looked out over the ocean as Inklings and Octarians splashed around in the water. All was well, and the future had never been brighter.


	8. Epilogue

“Thank you for your time, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson,” the interviewer said. “Hopefully, your accounts will put some context into this documentary.”

Alex and Amanda nodded and shook his hand. 

“And thanks to you as well, Mrs. Harrison,” he said to Jessie, who also nodded. 

The Agents stood and hugged one another, before heading out the door.

“Hey Jessie,” Amanda said. “Are you and Michael still down for that exhibition Turf War match this weekend?”

“Does Marie prefer a sniper?” Jessie replied rhetorically. Amanda laughed.

“Alright, see you then!” she said.

“Later!”

Alex and Amanda got into their car and headed for home.

*******

Amanda sat on the side of the small bed, telling her story for the second time that day.

“Alright, now that storytime is over, it’s time for you to go to bed,” she told her daughter Octavia, kissing the top of her head. 

“Goodnight, Mom!” the seven-year old said.

“Goodnight, sweetie.”

She moved over to the other bed and did the same for her half-Inkling son, Craig. His namesake had passed away a year ago, and had been buried next to DJ Octavio with full honors; an occasion that was simultaneously sad and heartwarming. Craig hugged his stuffed Zapfish tightly and closed his eyes. At five years old, the young Inktoling was growing like a weed, and it wouldn’t be long before he could participate in the Junior Turf War League. As it was, he was already on par with Jessie and Michael’s son, Trevor.

“Goodnight, Mommy!” he said. She responded in kind, tapping the tip of his nose with her forefinger.

Amanda walked out of their bedroom and joined Alex on the balcony of their apartment. He threw his arm over her shoulder. She snuggled in close to him, and they watched the waves undulating across the ocean. She traced the white scar around her forearm and grimaced. The limb had grown back, yes, but talking about the scar’s origin had brought back some unpleasant memories.

“Are the kids asleep?” Alex asked

“More or less.”

“The stars are beautiful tonight.”

“They really are.”

They stood there and watched the night sky, and all was right in the world.

  
  


**_THE END._ **

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to everyone for reading, and special thanks to for the kudos. This story means a lot to me, and I'm glad you enjoyed it.


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